By Mohammad Al- Ghazali
A preface by the author:

* * *

I accepted this obligation while thinking of the best way to accomplish it!

I have dealt with various Islamic subjects and I do have a lot of works appreciated by the readers. Should I now summarize what I have explained in detail in other places?
This is something that a writer might find so upsetting!
But editing a book that gathers the branches of faith and legislation of a religion is a benefiting work and a praiseworthy proposal.
So I decided to go ahead with this call of duty.

When I took hold of my pen to jot down these lines I was keen to keep in mind two matters:
1- To establish clear and full extractions of what I have handled earlier about the facts of Islam. In addition to that I would add new evidences that would enhance the credibility and trust in these facts.
2- To include other categories of research and study that meet the proposed suggestion and would make - by God�s help - from these few pages an elegant, bright looking image of this great religion.

And I wish I would gain God�s help and acceptance of this small effort.

* * *

Islam is a fair case, but unfortunately it fell into the hands of some lousy advocates! So often I would listen to some of those who talk about Islam and I would wish they had not spoken a thing. Most of them don�t understand religion as it was revealed by God. As for those who do understand, they weren�t able to explain Islam in a satisfactory manner!

All of this is taking place in a world where even trivial principles are decorated and presented to people in fine cunning colors in the same way an old woman hides her old age behind veils of makeup, clothes, jewelry and flirt!

And people by nature are enemies to what they are ignorant about.

So look at the extent of this dangerous failure Muslim�s fell into when they do not explain their religion in a just, detailed way without increase or reduction? An explanation that depends upon clearing the truth alone.

This truth - if cleared - would have the gleam that attracts the sights and minds of people.

The generations are in need to a kind of knowledge that would present Islam to them in an easy language and understandable indications.

Probably the old books were once useful at the times they were authored.

May be the issues and problems these books dealt with had concerned people who passed away from along time, with them passed the spiritual and materialistic conflicts they suffered. Its obvious nowadays that our sons and children need to come to a complete awareness of their religion to an extent that might fill their noticeable spiritual emptiness and refute suspicions created by brokers of atheism and corruption after their latest colonial invasion of our countries.

* * *

If Muslims by the end of the fourth century have needed someone to author a book called � reviving sciences of religion� �Ihia� Oloum Addeen�, then we should learn that religious knowledge might by the passing time, the overwhelming desires and the prevalent decay whither and die to an extent that it needs someone who would bring life back to it.

It is the right of Islam on its people to confront the world with what they possess of this immortal legacy.

Yes, we do have a book with an everlasting richness and novelty. And we do have a prophet hood of an inspired life history and a pure way of life.

So how can we mislead the way under all this sunshine? Or even feel lonely in this swaying world?

The epidemic of religious teaching is a blind wearisome method that doesn�t probe the essence of truth, because its methods are handicapped from achieving an education in the same way one suffering from cold can�t smell the fine scents of a garden full of blooming flowers.

In this book we haven�t done anything more than remove the blindfold from over the eyes so they could see reality as is. We haven�t brought anything from ourselves, but we solely mentioned the words of Allah and his Messenger in a way dedicated only for revealing the absolute fact Inshallah (with Gods Help).

Mohammad Al-Ghazali

* * *


CONVICTIONS

What is Islam?

This new name that people have been hearing for 14 centuries is a title for an old truth that had started with the beginning of Creation and went along with as people lived.

It came successively with all the messages that have linked people with their creator Almighty, and explained to them what He wanted from them.

What do we mean by an old truth?

The answer: It is the essence of the relationship between God and people as it was portrayed by all religions, and as it was delivered by all the prophets who were sent by God.

Those prophets appeared in previous eras and were followed by different races. There is no difference what so ever in what Allah had said to Muses, Jesus or Mohammad. There is no difference what so ever in what those prophets had told and explained to their followers and what other prophets had explained to their people whether we knew their names or not. Religion is one in its pillars and goals among all of them. The Holy Quran has asserted this total unity of religion in different places. It has established that Prophets are brothers in an associate work, and that we shouldn�t differ in following them nor can we separate them from each other. In the Holy Quran Allah said:

The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah - that which We have sent by inspiration to thee - and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: namely, that ye should remain steadfast in Religion, and make no divisions therein. [42:13]

Say: "We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the Prophets, from their Lord: we make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam)." [3:84]

The support for this common unity despite the differences in time and place is the innate nature. Yes good nature is God�s religion. Nature is not something new in Human beings. It means a healthy heart and a healthy way of thinking. Whether one is fit for this life or in the hereafter is determined by the correctness of his innate nature.

Probably you�ll find people who are related to religion with all its signs and rituals, but they have ill hearts and twisted minds.

You should be sure that those people are far from religion as the same degree as there hearts and minds.

You can�t say that a house is sound if it has good paint while the walls are falling apart. You can�t describe someone as being religious while his mental and heart conditions have been corrupted by whims and superstitions. The basic foundation of being a true religious person is the soundness of these moral devices and their being free of any distortions or fabrications. Allah says in the Holy Quran: So set thou thy face steadily and truly to the Faith: (establish) Allah's handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allah: that is the standard Religion: but most among mankind understand not. [30:30]

* * *

Teachings brought by Islam are targeted toward protecting this nature from the strange germs that attack it every other time. These teachings are like food and medicine. They do not create a new body or convert him to another being, but they work on keeping the origin and maintaining its growth as Allah has created it.

That�s why Allah Almighty followed the previous verse with other verses that show methods that, if followed, will maintain and keep the human nature sound. Turn ye back in repentance to Him, and fear Him: establish regular prayers, and be not ye among those who join gods with Allah, Those who split up their Religion, and become (mere) sects, each party rejoicing in that which is with itself! [30:31-32]

Religious teachings according to the human nature are like other science�s importance for the human mind, like sciences of life and universe.

In the same way the human mind expands and nourishes and finds truths in these sciences, the human nature becomes clear and glittery and finds the path of wisdom through teachings of religion.

So it is a must to perform the duties Allah has legislated to secure this desired human safeness. Allah said in the Quran: Whoever submits his whole self to Allah, and is a doer of good, has grasped indeed the most trustworthy hand-hold; and with Allah rests the End and Decision of (all) affairs [31:22]. And he said: Who can be better in religion than one who submits his whole self to Allah, does good, and follows the way of Abraham the true in faith? For Allah did take Abraham for a friend. [4:125]

Do you see?
The Holy Quran returns the origin of nature in religion to the early prophet hoods.

That�s why we said: Islam is a new title for an old truth. Mohammad pbuh (peace be upon him) came as a builder not as a destroyer. He came to assert and verify those who came before him and not as an opponent nor as a warrior.

And his religion Islam is the brightest human nature that all humanity should raise high with and meet upon.

* * *


The Highest Existence

Islam stands initially on belief in Allah�s existence. Believing in this God is the axle of Islam�s rules and laws.

In the Holy Quran you find tons of evidence that support this truth and establish its reality in the heart and mind of Muslims. They make Muslims live lives of total awareness of this truth.

One of the scholars has had some nice comments about this subject and we summarize his words in here.

He said we have only one of four possibilities without a fifth.

First: all existence might be only a matter of illusion. Both in our materialistic or metaphysical worlds. In other words, for example the earth that we live on, and the trains that we ride are only illusions in illusions. Some ancient philosophers and speakers presented this possibility. It is considered a silly proposal that doesn�t even deserve discussion.

Second: That this world we live in is a reality that created itself from itself and was nothing at all before that. That it became something out of nothing without any outside influence or interference! This possibility is sillier than the first one. If we adopt such a possibility then it is as if we canceled the law of cause and effect, in addition to that it demolishes all the rules and principles of science and life.

Third: that the universe is an ancient matter (this theory has no evidence, and what appears is that all matter vanishes and changes into a form of energy) without a beginning or an end, from it creation is dispersed through long processes of complicated, unexplained methods. This possibility assumes that the world is both a creator and a creation at the same time! It is like looking at the walls of a great palace and saying that these walls are ingenious, skilled, and precise beings that they created themselves. These qualities should be given to the engineers who made these walls not to some sand and clay nor to some doors or windows! This possibility pictures the non-ending perfection that holds within it the ancient being, the highest wisdom, and the total knowledge. Then it gives such qualities and descriptions to the sand we step on, or the air we breathe as being creators and destroyers. No, it is a matter of common sense to relate all these characteristics to some other being�and this paves the way to the fourth assumption.

Four: The existence of Allah almighty. This is the only logical and honest explanation to the story of creation. Or at least - as some have said - the most one worthy of respect and acceptance among these possibilities. It is ridiculous to try to convince me that the human embryo in its mother�s womb is created under supervision of this mother nor with the help of a father, nor by various deliberate actions done by systems hidden in the body. That each one of these systems is specialized in manufacturing the eyes, the ears, and so on! Absolutely not. Allah said in the Holy Quran: Say: "Allah": then leave them to plunge in vain discourse and trifling. [6:91] And He said: Such is He, the Knower of all things, hidden and open, the Exalted (in power), the Merciful; He Who has made everything which He has created Most Good: He began the creation of man with (nothing more than) clay, For those who believe and work righteous deeds, there will be Gardens of Bliss, But He fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him something of His spirit. And He gave you (the faculties of) hearing and sight and feeling (and understanding): little thanks do ye give! [35:6-9].

The Holy Quran is full of evidences that lead people to Allah and introduce Him to them. These evidences are delicate and kind that cooperate with each other in order to trigger human intelligence to realizes the world around him and make people take it into consideration. It is by using such insights and meditations in all that�s around us will undoubtedly make people believe in Allah almighty. Allah said in the Holy Quran: On the earth are Signs for those of assured Faith, As also in your own selves: will ye not then see? [51:20-21]

It was told that once king of Persia laid down one night and wandered with his sight in the night skies and distant horizons and said these heart-beating words:

Oh sky, you are in an amazing roof for an amazing building
You are a great cover for a great house
You are a shade for something so enormous
And in you are wonders for the astonished
Alas, what�s holding you?
Are they columns from below?
Or hangers from above.
Alas, the king who takes hold of you,
Is an almighty capable king?
And whoever neglects thinking in this glory,
Is so ignorant and naive.
Alas oh stars what causes you to rise when you rise?
And what causes you to wander, to sleep or to fall?
Alas are you still or alive?
What are the qualities that you possess?
The colors that you have and who gave you thine names?
Glorified the one whom you belong to,
And by his will you move.
And by his creation you go straight,
And you get back to him when you will.

* * *



Oneness

From the past until nowadays people are still fond of polytheism and multi God hood.

This superstition has been strongly rejected by Islam, and fought persistently by it. Islam even traced peoples illusions in that matter so as to reveal the darkness and to clear away the doubts of polytheism.

No wonder oneness is the number one slogan of Islam whether in beliefs or actions. This what Islam is famous for and it is because of this Islam is fought!

A prolonged, enumerate arguments has been stated about oneness of God and rejecting association in the Holy Quran.

Allah said in the Holy Quran: Say: "What thing is most weighty in evidence?" Say: "Allah is witness between me and you; this Quran hath been revealed to me by inspiration. That I may warn you and all whom it reaches. Can ye possibly bear witness that besides Allah there is another God?" Say: "Nay! I cannot bear witness!" Say: "But in truth He is the One God, and I truly am innocent of (your blasphemy of) joining others with Him."[6:19] And He said: Allah has said: "Take not (for worship) two gods: for He is just One God: then fear Me (and Me alone)."[16:51] And He said: verily, verily your God is one, Lord of the heavens and of the earth, and all between them, and Lord of every point at the rising of the sun! [37:4-5]
And He said: And your God is One God: there is no god but He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. [2-136]

This One God is people�s Lord and protector and it is not appropriate for them to take others as their lords or to attach their hearts with other than Him. Allah said: What! Have they taken (for worship) protectors besides Him? But it is Allah, He is the Protector, and it is He who gives life to the dead: it is He who has power over all things. [42:9] And He said: Follow (O men!) the revelation given unto you from your Lord, and follow not, as friends, or protectors, other than Him. Little it is ye remember of admonition. [7:3]

He is also the preemptor of people, the one who regards people�s offenses as undone, the one who gives sanctuary in times of distress, and no other thing or body join theses qualities with Allah almighty. Allah said: What! do they take for intercessors others besides Allah? Say: "Even if they have no power whatever and no intelligence?"
Say: "To Allah belongs exclusively (the right to grant) Intercession: to Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth: in the End, it is to Him that ye shall be brought back." [39:34-44]

The pillars of this oneness - as shown in Islam - are as follows:
Is this universe a creation that belongs to a one creator, a one who created, and supervises it or not?
The answer is that the stars and planets which we see from far away, the earth which we closely know, the living beings from plants and animals, and all the inanimate things like sand and water�etc. All these creatures are adjusted and regulated similarly, and governed by one law.

We conclude from this, it is not possible that a god has created some continents, another god created the rest of them, another has created the earth, and another the moon�etc.

This allegation is falsified from within itself! Allah said: Or do they assign to Allah partners who have created (anything) as He has created, so that the creation seemed to them similar? Say: "Allah is the Creator of all things: He is the One, the Supreme and Irresistible. [13:16]. And said: Say: "Show me those whom ye have joined with Him as partners: by no means (can ye). Nay, He is Allah the Exalted in Power, the Wise." [34:27].

The positioning of earth on this calculated distance from the sun is the reason for the existence of life and lives on this earth. The activities of their bodies, the work of their senses, the growing of their plants on which they nourish, and the tenderness of the atmosphere in which they live in, all depends on that positioning of the sun and is involved with it. This means that the earth�s revolving around the sun, it�s rotation around itself, this sun�s floating in this enormous space, and the planets that float in their orbits according to an arranged, planed system, all of these follow a preset plan and are supervised by one will. We can find evidences of this only might through out the arrangement and the coordination made created by a one and only wisdom. This means that their Lord and master is one and only without any partners!

Then lets ask this question: has any one ever claimed to be a God with Allah, and that he has association with Him in matters of creation, sustenance, making, banishing, and the arrangement of life�s matters in all the universe? Nobody has ever dared to make that lie.

All that happened of association came from a group of ignorant who started to sanctify some stones or some good men, and started giving them qualities and attributes which they do not possess and they have never claimed that they have.

I mean that association is an assumption in some foolish minds that don�t have any relation what so ever with reality and common sense. It is as if some people imagine that the United States of America has two presidency offices for two different presidents both of them rule the country, and issue orders. Or that the position of Queen in England has two queens sitting on the throne not one.

Because those who committed association had some sensation about the reality of monotheism and they had some sense that those partners whom they fabricated are much too less to be something worthwhile so they went ahead and made a relation between these alleged gods and Allah almighty.
The Holy Quran denounced their lies: It is not that they say from their invention Allah has begotten children! But they are liars. [37:151-152]
And said: No son did Allah beget, nor is there any god along with Him: (if there were many gods), behold, each god would have taken away what he had created, and some would have Lorded it over others! Glory to Allah! (He is free) from the (sort of) things they attribute to Him! [32:91]
And said: They say, "Allah hath begotten a son!" Glory be to Him! He is Self-Sufficient! His are all things in the heavens and on earth! No warrants have ye for this! Say ye about Allah what ye know not? Say to those who invent a lie on Allah they will never prosper. [10:68-69]

In order to defeat these trifles Islam clearly explained that Allah could never be emanated from another god and no god could be emanated from him. Islam also explained clearly that Allah has no sons, no parents nor wives, that everything in this universe is a creation of Him and all the creation is in need of Him. In the Holy Quran: To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: how can He have a son when He hath no consort? He created all things, and He hath full knowledge of all things. That is Allah, your Lord! There is no god but He, the Creator of all things; then worship ye Him; and He hath power to dispose of all affairs. [6:101-102]

Allah almighty might honor those whom he loves from his servants with various matters of glory and preference. But if Allah has ascribed anyone or groups to him then this attribution is not a real sonship. Such sonship is impossible: Had Allah wished to take to Himself a son, He could have chosen whom He pleased out of those whom He doth create: but Glory be to Him! (He is above such things.) He is Allah, the One, the Irresistible. [39:4]

Say he is Allah the one and only. Allah the eternal, Absolute. He begetteth not nor is He begotten. And there is non like into Him. [112:1-4]

This unification of Beliefs is followed by unification of actions. Accordingly a Muslim should love his Lord, be dedicated to Him and should lean only on Him. This also requires that the Muslim�s heart beats and sentiments be directed only to Allah and not to any other being.

A Muslim doesn�t ask anyone but Allah, doesn�t worship any but Him, doesn�t obey any orders but his lord�s, and doesn�t carry out any orders except Allah�s. A Muslim legitimates only what Allah has allowed and only prohibits what Allah has forbade. A Muslim doesn�t cross the boundaries set by Allah and asked us not to cross. A Muslim moves accordingly to what Allah has ordered. He doesn�t bow his head or bend to any being except for Allah. A Muslim�s knowledge of the greatness of the one and only creator and His sovereignty over the universe and people overwhelms the Muslim with feelings of longing and fear which go straight within his soul without distortion or disturbance. It is for that reason you find, that if the heart of a believer is basically filled with the creed of oneness then this would be a reason for the strength and dignity that you find them associated with a true believer.

Click here to return Home